Electric switch



June 27,' 1936 J. G. PETERSON ELECTRIC swI'rrcH FiledAug. l, 1956Patented June 27, 1939 PATENT OFFICE mimmo swrron 101mm G. Peterson, watMord, conn.

paesana Amai, 19st, sum N. sss'zs z5 calms (cl. zoo-154) 7 f '1 Myinvention relates to electric switches.

It has among its objectsto vprovide an improved switch, and further animproved switch of the type described and claimed in my prior 5 PatentNo. 1,815,633. Other objects of my invention include the provision of aneffective switch of this type which has an improved and simplifiedconstruction requiring only a 'single insulating base member to carryall of the switch mecha- 10 nism and connections, and which further canbe made in a markedly smaller size in such manner as to be particularlyadapted for use for heating pads or the like, while at the same timebeing manufactured at a very substantially smaller l5 cost. Furtherobjects of my invention include the provision of an improvedconstruction and arrangement of combined switch actuating and movablecontact mechanism, and an improved operative connection of the same to amanually 'zo operable actuating member, as well as the provision ofimproved cooperating actuating cam and stationary contacts, so that aplurality of circuits may be effectively controlled while utilizing asingle base member and having the actuat- 25 ing member on the oppositeside of said bese member from the contact mechanism. These and'otherobjects and advantages of my improved construction will, however,hereinafter more fully appear. 30 In the accompanying drawing I haveshown for purposes'of illustration one embodiment which my invention mayassume in practice, the same beingillustrated as applied to a throughswitch particularly adapted to use in electric heating In the drawing,-

Figure l is an enlarged plan of my improved switch mechanism disposed inone casing member, one of the casing members being removed and the otherbroken away at its lower end to facilitate illustrationand the switchvbeing shown in its opposite extreme .positions in full anddotted-lines;

Fig. 2 is a like view of the opposite side of the l '4'5 switch unit'with the latter disposed over the other casing member; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section through a portion of the switch and casing,l takenon line 3 3 y of Fig.1 but with the switch in the position.

'50shown`inFigA; f

Figo is a lview similar to Fig. shut with the' i vcombined movable camand contact member lifted off tofacilitate illustration, and

Fig. 'I is a detail sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 4. I In thisillustrative construction, I have shown my invention embodied in aswitch in the form of an improved unit, generally indicated at I,

' adapted to be enclosed between longitudinally divided through switchcasing members 2 and 3, l! and havingan actuating member l carrying afinger actuated knob 5 and movable longitudinally of the members 2, 3into a plurality' of operative positions in a slot 3 in the member 2.

Referring more particularly to the improved 1l switch unit, it will benoted that it includes a single base, herein in the form of a singlethin flat insulating plate 1 of suitable fiber or composition. Thisplate herein is adapted to be disposed between like cooperating chambers3 and g, 3 in the oppositeends of casing members 2 and 3, herein shownonly at the upper ends thereof. The plate 'I also is provided withnotches I0 in its ends adapted to cooperate with usualscrewreceiving-projections I i on the member 2 adjacent g the'usualconductor openings i2 in the ends oi the latter, which projections iiand openings I2 are adapted to cooperate in a usual manner with likeprojections I I' and openings I2' on the other casing member 3, it beingunderstood that like a. projections Il, il and openings I2, I2 are alsoprovided on the opposite ends of the members 2 and 3. In thisconstruction, it will however be observed that shoulders I3 areprovidedvon the projections Il to support the opposite ends of g plate 1in suitably spaced relation froml the bottomy of the'chamber 3. It willalso be noted that the projections Il' on the casingmember 3 are soenlarged as to overlie slightly the edges of the notches Il and thuscooperate with the shoulders a lI3 and the slot 3 which engages theactuating member I, in spacing and positioning the unit -in the casing.l

Upon the plate 1, all the switchlmechanism is carried, including itsoperating mechanism, its u contacts, and the switch terminals towhichthe conductors leading to the line'- and the heating pad, are ledthrough the end openings i2, l2' in the casing members 2 and 3. Herein,the actuating member I has its outer knob, carrying end u disposed inthe plane of the plate 1 and is provided with a bent down portion whileits inner end I4 extends along under the, bottom ofthe plate 1 and ispivoted thereto on a suitable pivot, herein in the form of a'hollow,tubular rivet I3 u extending through the plate 1 at the far side of thelongitudinal center line of the plate. Thus,

while the actuating portion of the actuating member 4 may be disposed inthe plane of the plate 1, the portion I4 may be disposed closelyadjacent the bottom of the plate.- Further, it will be noted that thebent down portion, herein indicated at I6, moves in a slot I1 providedin the adjacent edge of the plate 1, while the portion I4 is also Ibentdown intermediate its ends, as at I8, in such manner as not to engagethe lower end of a pivot member I9 for the movable cam and contactmemberhereinafter described. This pivot member herein is also Vin the form ofahollow or tubular rivet, and is located between the pivot I5 and theslot I1 on the opposite side of they longitudinal center line of theplate 1 from the pivot I5. This member i9 herein projects through theplate 1 and above the latter and also has rotatably mounted on theprojecting end thereof, my improved combined cam and struck up portion2| on the actuating member4 4 as the bent down portionl i6 on the lattermoves about the pivot I5 within thelimits of the slot I1. As shown, themember 20 is in the form of a plate of conducting material rotatablymountl ed on the pivot I9 and provided with a laterally extendingportion or lug `23, which is in turn provided with an opening or slot 24somewhat elongated and larger than the projection or pin 2l and adaptedto receive the same and permit the desired swinging movement of themember 20. Herein also, the member 29 is normally pressed downward by aspring 25 disposed around the pivot I9 and acting between the plate 28and a ange portion 26 on the upper end of the rivet I9, in such manneras to press the plate 29 rmly upon an insulating plate 21 which is`disposed between the plate 29 and the plate 1. Also the member 20, apartfrom its laterally extending portion or lug 23, is generally Y-shapedand has vthis portion 23 extending laterally toward the slot 6 from thebase of one of the Y arms. As shown the member 20 is provided with amovable actuating cam portion 28 at one end thereof and with spaced armsor angularly disposed contact portions 29 and 3U at the opposite endthereof, the laterally extending lug 23 being adjacent the base of thearm 30 and between the latter and thecam portion 28. Thus, as the member4 is moved in either direction about its pivot I5, the member'Zll isswung therewith about its pivot I9, the `movable cam member 28 movingback and forth in an arc at one side of the pivot I9, while the movablecontact members 29 and 30 move' back and forth in an arc on the oppositeside of the pivot I9, and the bent downportion I4 on the member 4 moveswithin the limits of the slot I1 as the struck up portion 2I moveswithin the limits of the arcuate slotv 22. Here it will also be notedthat the entire member 20 in these oscillating movements rests on theinsulating plate 21 and that the latter is also cut away, as at 3|, toprovide an opening therein exposing the slot 22 throughout the lengthpressions adapted to receive and position the member 28 and havinginclined faces leading from said .troughs to the tops of the cams orprojections. Thus it will be evident that as the actuating member 4 isswung about its pivot I5, the movable cam member 28 will ride up' oneface of the adjacent cam projection While compressing the spring 25, andthat as soon as the member 28 has passed over the peak of the adjacentcam or projection, the spring will cause the portion -28 to travellrapidly down the other sloping face of the cam into the next adjacenttrough, all in such manner as to cause the contact members 29 and 30 tobe swung with a snap action about the pivot I9. Further, it will benoted that in the present construction, four troughs being provided, theactuating member 4 and cam 28 and contacts 29 and 3i) have fouroperative positions between which they are moved with a snap action. l

Also, it will be noted that in one of these positions, indicated indotted lines in Figure 1, both of the contacts 29 and 39 will be in anopen circuit position with both of these movable contactsfstillsupported on the insulating plate 21.

AWhen, however, the actuating member is moved up from the dotted lineposition shown in Figure l to the dotted line position shown in Figure4, the contact 29 is moved on to a narrow stationvary contact 35 ofsubstantially the same width as the contact 29, while the contact 30still remains over a portion of the insulating plate 21,

the movable cam 28 then being in the second trough or position from theleft shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. As the actuating member 4 ismovedjurther upward to the full line position shown in Figure 4, theContact 29 moves oi `of the contact 35 and into engagement with asubstantially wider stationary contact 35, 'the contact 29 engaging theadjacent corner of this stationary contact 36 in this position, i. e.when the movable cam 28 is in the lthird trough from the left,`asshownin full lines in Figure 4. Upon moving theactuating member d to itsextreme up position, shown. in full l'ines in Figure 1, the contactmember 29 then is-moved over the wide stationary contact 25 to the farside of the latter while still remaining in contact therewith, while theother movable Contact 30 moves into engagement with the stationarycontact 35, the movable cam member 28 then being in the fourth troughfrom the left, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. Here attention isalso directed to the fact that both of the stationary contacts 35 and 36are disposed in the plane .of the insulating plate 21 in such-mannerthat the movable contacts 29 and 30 move freely on to and off of these'l ably connected tothe same side of the plate 1 '75 through connectionisprovided in the form of astrip 44 suitably attached to the insulatingplate 1, as by a rivet 45, and carrying binding screws 46 and 41.at itsopposite ends, one of which is herein adjacent oneend of the plate 1,while the other is adjacent the pivot I5; the plate 44, however, beingspaced from this pivot and also from the rivet 4u attaching the terminalplate 39.

In the use 'of my improved construction, itwill be evident that when theseveral binding screws are suitably connected to the line and a heatingpad in thew usual manner, the actuating member may be readily operatedto change the circuit connections as desired, by moving the actuatingknob 5 reversely longitudinally within the limits of the slot 6 in thecasing 2 in a usualmanner. Thus, it is possible to obtain the desiredoil, 1ow", medium and high heat positions of the switch, of which theofi position is illustrated in dottedlines in Figure 1, the low positionin dotted lines in Figure 4, the medium position in full lines in Figure4, andthe high position in 'full lines in Figure l.' Further, itl

will be evident that in moving from any o! these positions to the nextadjacent position, irrespective of the direction of movementoi the knob5,

the movable contact member Ilwll be moved,

with a snap action in such manner as to cause the contacts 29 and 30 tomove therewith and thus minimize arcing at the contacts. Also it willbenoted that in each positionthe parts will beheld definitely in thatposition/ through the engagement of the movable cam 28 with the walls ofthe trough in which itis then located.

As a result Aoi my improved construction, it is made possible to provideonly a single insulating plate/1, as distinguished from the pluralityofsuch plates as shown in my prior patented construction. Further, 'it ismade' possible to provide a single combined movable cam and movablecontact member, as distinguished from the '.plurality ofsuch membersshown in my previous construction.. It is further made possible todispose both the movable cam and movable contacts on the same face ofthe single insulating plate, and

also to dispose the stationary cam and stationary contacts on this sameface,.while having the movable actuating member disposed on the oppositeface of the insulating plate and operatively con'- nected to the movablecam and movable contact member in such manner as to eil'ect the desiredmovement of the parts with the snap action described. Attention isfurther directed to the fact thatmy improved construction is thus notonly markedly more compact than my prior construction, but especiallyadapted to use ina very small outer` casing, especially convenient i'oruse as a through switch in the conductors leading to an electric heatingpad. It will also be observed that my improved construction is one whichenables the manufacturing cost of the switch to'be very substantiallyreduced as compared with my prior throw the movable contacts 2l and 30,but also tacts 35, 35, and further acts to assure that the movablecontacts will move freely off of and on to the stationary contacts whilepreventing tipping oi the member 20.A Other advantages of my -improvedconstruction will, moreover, be clearly apparent tothose skilled in theart. I

While I have in this application specifically described one form vwhichmy invention may assume in practice it will be understood that thisvform of the same is shown for illustrative purposes and that the samemay be embodied in the above and other modified forms without vdepartingfrom its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and movable contact members thereon disposed onopposite outer faces thereof, the actuating member being operable fromone edge oi said base and the movable contact pivot being between saidedge and the pivot of the actuating member, and operative connectionsbetween said actuating member and movable contact member including.

actuating means on the face carrying said contact member and actuatedupon movement of said actuating member for throwing the movable contactwith a snap action.

2. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and movable contact members thereon disposed onopposite outer faces thereof, the actuating member being operable fromone edge of said base and the movable contact pivot being between saidedge and the pivot of the actuating member, and operative connectionsactuated upon movement of said actuating member for throwing the movablecontact with a snap action including stationary and movable cam means onthe same face of said base as said movable contact member and on theopposite side of said movable contact pivot from said stationary contactmeans.

, 3. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and movable contact members thereon disposed onopposite faces thereof, the actuating member being operable from oneedge oi' said base and the movable contact pivot being between said edgeand the pivot oi' the actuating member, and operative connections,actuated upon movement of said actuating member for throwing themovable contact with a snap action'including cooperating cam means onthe same side of said base as said movable contact member and having oneelement movable' with said movable contact member and cooperating springmeans maintaining the latter and said movable cam element under tensionand also onthe same side of said base therewith.

4. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and movable contact members pivoted on said base ondiierent axes diierently'spdced from an edgey o! said base and disposedon opposite faces thereof, an operative connection between said membersdisposed between the nearest axis and the free end of said actuatingmember, and snap actuating means for said movable contact memberoperative upon movement of said operative connection.

5.v In an electric switch, 'a base having an arcuate cut away portiontherein. pivoted actuating and movable contact members thereon anddisposed on opposite outer faces of said lbase including an actuatingmember projecting under said cut-away portion beyond an edge of saidbase on the remote side of said cut-away portion from the pivot of saidactuating member, an operative connection between said members havingactuating means movable in said cut awayA portion, and snap actuatingmeans for said movable contact member operative upon movement of saidoperative connection.

6. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and movable contact members disposed on opposite faces.v thereof pivoted' thereon on laterally spaced mechanism faces thereofand pivoted on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of saidbase, an operative connection between said members disposed between thepivot and the free end of said actuating member, and snap actuatingmeans for said movable contact member on the same face of said basecarrying said movable contact memlber and operative upon movement ofsaid opera-v tive connection.

8. In an electric switch, a base having a cut away portion therein, anactuating member pivoted on said base and disposed on one face thereofand having an actuating portion between the pivot of said actuatingmember and the free end thereof and movable in said cut away portion, a.movable contact member disposed on the opposite face of said base fromsaid actuating member and actuated by said portion, and snapactuatingmeans acting'on said movable contact member and actuating thesame upon movement of said member about its pivot.

9. In an electric switch, a base, a swingableA actuating member pivotedon one face of said base and operable from one edge thereof, switchmechanism disposed on the opposite face of said base, including aswingable contact member and cooperating stationary contacts and movableand stationary cam means for effecting snap action.

movement of said swingable contact member, 'a portion of said swingablecontact member and said actuating member being swingable through similaroverlying paths, and an operative connection directly between saidactuating member vand said swingable contact member and clearing saidbase for manually actuating said switch mechanism. y

10; In an electric switch, a, base, a swingable actuating member pivotedon one face of said' baseand operable from one edge thereof, switchdisposed on the opposite face of said base, including a swingablecontact member and cooperating stationary contacts and movable andstationary cam means for eecting a snap action movement of saidswingable contact member, a portion of said swingable contact member andsaidactuating member being swingable `through substantiallycorresponding and overlying paths, andV a pin and` slot connectiondirectly between said actuating member and. said swingable contactmember and clearing said base for manually actuating said switchmechanism.

11. In -an electric switch, a base, an insulating plate thereon, spacedstationary contacts flush l with said insulating plate at one edgethereof, a movable contact member pivoted on said basehaving cooperatingspaced contacts movable progressively over said insulating plate andsaid rst mentioned contacts, an actuating member on the opposite face ofsaid base `from said insulating plate, and means operable upon movementof said actuating member for moving said movable contact member with asnap action including cam means disposed on the opposite side of thepivot of said movable contact member from said stationary contacts andat the opposite edge of said insulating plate from said stationarycontacts.

12. In an electricswitch, a base, spaced ccntacts thereon, a movablecontact member pivoted on said base having cooperating spaced contactsmovable over said first mentioned contacts, an actuating member on the`opposite face of said base from said movable contact member and havingoperative connections for actuating said movable contact member, andmeans operable upon movement of said movable contact member for movingsaid movable contact member with a snap action including stationary cammeans disposed along the opposite side of the pivot of said movablecontact member from said first mentioned contacts and a cooperating`movable cam movable with said movable contact member.

13. In an electric switch, a base, an insulating member thereon, spacedcontacts iiush with said insulating member, a movable contact memberpivoted von said base having cooperating spaced contacts movable oversaid insulating member andsaid first mentioned contacts, an actuatingmember on the opposite side of said base from said insulating memberhaving operative connections for actuating said movable contact member,and means operable upon movement of said movable contact member formoving said `movable contact member with a snap action includingstationary cam means disposed along the opposite edge of said insulatingmember from said first mentioned contacts, a cooperating movable cammovable with said movable contact member, and spring means coaxial withthe pivot of said movable contact member and acting on the latter.

14. In an electric switch, a base, pivoted actuating and movable contactinembers thereon and disposed on opposite faces thereof, said movablecontact member being substantially Y-shaped and having movable contactsand an actuating cam on opposite ends thereof and a lateral extension,

an operative connection between said lateralv extension and saidactuating member, cam means cooperating with said actuating cam to throwsaid movable contact member quickly, and stationary contact meanscooperating with the movable contacts on said movable contact member.

15. In an electric switch, a base,`pivoted actuating and movable contactmembers thereon and disposed on opposite faces thereof, said movablecontact member having movable contacts and an actuating cam on oppositeends thereof and a.v 1 lateral extension, an operative connectionbetween said lateral extension and said actuating member, cam meanscooperating with said actuating cam to move said movable contact member7g quickly, stationary contact means cooperating with the movablecontacts on said movable contact member, and spring means disposedcoaxially .of the pivot of said movable contact member and acting on thelatter.

16. In an electric switch, a base, pivoted actuating and movable contactmembers thereon and disposed on opposite faces thereof, said movablecontact member having movable contacts and an actuating cam on oppositeends thereof and a lateral extension, an operative connection betweensaid lateral extension vand said actuating member, cooperating cam meansand stationary contacts cooperating with the camlmeans and movablecontacts on said movable contact member, and spring means disposedcoaxially of the pivot ofsaid movable contact member and acting thereon,said actuating member being pivoted on the opposite side of the pivot ofsaid movable contact member from the free end of said actuating memberand said operative connection being between the pivot of the movablecontact member and the free end of said actuating member.

17. In an electric switch, a base, pivoted actuating and movable contactmembers thereon and disposed on opposite faces thereof, said movablecontact member having movable contacts and an actuating cam on oppositeends thereof and a lateral extension, an operative connection betweensaid lateral extension and said actuating member, and cooperating cammeans and stationary contacts cooperating with the cam means and movablecontacts on said movable contact member. said actuating member having anoperating portion substantially in the planecf said base-and a bent downportion underlying said base, and said operativev connection including aprojecting portion carried on`said bent down portion and extendingthrough an ape'rture in said base into said lateral extension.

tact means thereon, pivoted actuating and movable contact memberspivoted thereon and spaced laterally from one side edge of said base andhaving said actuating member projecting beyond said edge, said movablecontact member and stationary contact means being between the pivots ofsaid actuating and movable contact members and one end of said base,operative connections between said members for moving said movablecontact member upon movement-of said actuating member, and means forthrowing said movable contact member when so moved with a quickmovement, including cam means disposed between said pivots and theopposite end of said base. y

19. In an electric switch, a base, stationary contact means thereon,pivoted actuating and-movable contact members pivoted thereon on pivotsspaced laterally from one side edge of said base and having saidactuating member projecting .beyond said edge, the pifvbt of theactuating member being on the side of the pivot of the movmember when somoved with a quick movement,l

including camv means disposed between said pivots and one end of saidbase, said operative connections including means vfor permittingrelative movement between said members and being disposed between thepivot ot the movablecontact member-and the free end of said actuatingmember.

2o. man electric smtcnfa base, pivoted actuso moved with a quickmovement, including cam means disposed between said pivots and one endof said base, and stationary and movable contact means on the oppositeend of said base and on the opposite side of said operative connectionsfrom said cam means.

, 21. In an electric switch, a base plate, a pivoted actuating memberthereon disposed on one face thereof, switch mechanismincluding'stationary and movable contacts Aand actuating, mechanism forthe latter disposed on the opposite face of said plate and actuated uponmovement of said actuating member, switch terminals on the same face ofsaid plate as said switch mechanism, a through connection on thev samefacel of said plate as said actuating member, land a through switchcasing enclosing said bas'e plate and having means for enablingoperation of said actuating member from the exterior of said casing. y f

22. In a through switch, cooperating enclosing casing members presentinga chamber therebetween, a switch unit in said chamber having a base andswitch mechanism thereon and an, operating member for said mechanismoperable from theexterior of said chamber, and cooperating means insidesaid chamber and on said casing members for clamping the opposite endsof said base therebetween.

23. In a through switch, cooperating enclosing casingmembers 'presentinga chamber therebecooperating means inside said chamber and onsaid casingmembers for clamping the opposite y ends of said base therebetween, saidswitch mechanism being carried on one face of said 'base and saidoperating member on the opposite face thereof and both said mechanismand operating member being spaced from the adjacentinner faces of saidchamber by said cooperating clamping means.

24. In a throughA switch, cooperating enclosing casing memberspresenting a chamber therebetween and having projections on one of saidmembers having shoulders thereon and cooperating projections on theother member, and a switch unit in said chamber and positioned by saidyprojections having a base located by said rst mentioned projections andsupported on said shoulders and engaged by said cooperating projections,said switch unit having switch mechanism thereon and an operating memberoperable from the exterior of said casing members.

25. In a throughswitch, cooperating enclosing casing members having endconductor apertures and presenting a switch unit chamber therebetwe'enand also having a longitudinal slot communicating with said chamber andwithin said chamber projections on one of said members hav- A ingshoulders thereon vand 'cooperating projec- 7 tionson the other member,and a switch unit in said chamber and positioned by saidprojectionshaving a base located by said first mentioned projections and supportedon said shoulders and engaged by said cooperating projections, saidswitch unit being spaced from the walls of said chamber by saidprojections and having a switch mechanism on one face of `said basespaced from the adjacent wall of said chamber and an oper- .ating memberon the opposite face of said base also spaced from the adjacent wall ofsaid chamber and extending through said slot.

JOHANN G. PETERSON.

